Charter will further assist the Courts to provide an efficient, accessible, transparent and professional service
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 15th March 2010: The DIFC Courts, the Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) independent, common law judicial system, today published an updated set of guidelines to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the DIFC Courts’ Users’ Committee.
The Committee, which acts as a liaison between the DIFC Courts and users of the Courts, was established in 2006. It assists the Courts to provide an efficient, economical and professional service to all users. Through quarterly meetings, the committee seeks to suggest ways of improving the efficiency of the Courts’ procedures so that cases can be heard and determined efficiently, cost effectively and without undue delay, all without compromising the quality of the service and the Courts’ aim of dealing fairly and justly with all claims.
The revised charter broadens the committee’s responsibilities to include such matters as: advising the Courts on its current performance and reputation; suggesting the strategic direction required for the Courts to maintain and improve their performance and reputation; advising on developments taking place in other judicial systems which, if adopted, might benefit the DIFC Courts and its users; and briefing the Courts on developments and trends in the UAE legal sector which may have an impact on the DIFC Courts and their operation.
Current Chairman of the DIFC Courts Users’ Committee, and DIFC Courts’ Registrar, Mark Beer, commented, “As an judicial system, we are constantly striving to provide a high quality service to our users. The Courts’ Users’ Committee plays an important role in evaluating the efficiency of the Courts and helps to ensure that users of the Courts continue to receive the world-class service that they have come to expect. By engaging the users through this channel, on an ongoing basis, we can adjust our strategy and services accordingly to meet the requirements of our users and the community.”
The Charter describes how members of the Courts’ Users’ Committee are elected each year. The Committee currently comprises:
Set up to uphold the provisions of DIFC laws and regulations, the DIFC Courts are an independent court system, that provide the protection of a common law court system, with an internationally renowned bench of judges versed in commercial disputes, to ensure transparent and efficient justice in civil and commercial matters in or relating to the Centre. The DIFC Courts are the only courts in the United Arab Emirates that conduct legal proceedings in the English language and, as such, are highly valued by the international business community operating in the region.